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Le Batard & Friends Presents: The Step Back

Dan Le Batard
Lebron James
Sonny Vaccaro
Sports Illustrated
ESPN
Miami
Miami Heat
China
Basketball

Hosted by Dan Le Batard, Amin Elhassan, and Israel Gutierrez, this limited series is part nostalgia machine, part media autopsy—pulling apart the biggest athletes of our time through the moments that made them unavoidable. Season one belongs to LeBron James. From the Sports Illustrated cover that anointed him before he could legally celebrate, to The Decision that broke the internet before we even... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes5Founded2 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsSociety & CultureBasketball

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Artwork for The Step Back

Latest Episodes

LeBron James didn't just become the most famous athlete on Earth — he became one of its most careful, and occasionally most explosive, political voices. In the most contentious episode of our LeBron series, Dan, Amin and Izzy trace the moments that t... more

The Step Back is back — and this time, it's personal. Or at least, it's financial.

After a brief hiatus, Dan, Amin, and Izzy return with Pablo Torre to dig into his landmark 2017 ESPN feature on LeBron James — not the player chasing rings, but the a... more

Dan, Amin and Izzy go behind the scenes of LeBron's loyalty, from Pat Riley's frustration to LeBron's Vegas hotel room and the Cavs' huddle in Game Seven.

More from "The Step Back":

• Episode 1: The Chosen One

• Episode 2: The Decision

• Do... more

As our exclusive new series on LeBron's legacy continues, Dan, Amin and Izzy re-live the awkward silence — and alternate history — of a made-for-TV moment that altered the course of Miami sports and player empowerment forever.

More from "The Step Ba... more

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Recent Guests

Jemele Hill
Contributing writer for The Atlantic; activist commentator
The Atlantic
Episode: Shut Up & Dribble (feat. Jemele Hill & Cari Champion)
Cari Champion
Former ESPN colleague; involved in branded content projects
ESPN/Uninterrupted
Episode: Shut Up & Dribble (feat. Jemele Hill & Cari Champion)
Pablo Torre
Host of Pablo Torre Finds Out; former ESPN The Magazine senior writer
ESPN
Episode: Lebron Inc. (feat. Pablo Torre)
Iman Shumpert
Basketball player and entertainer (Dancing with the Stars champion, musician, broadcaster)
Former NBA player, entertainer
Episode: I'm Coming Home (feat. Iman Shumpert)
Jim Gray
Prominent sportscaster who interviewed LeBron James for The Decision
ESPN (at the time) / ABC
Episode: The Decision (feat. Jim Gray)
Sonny Vaccaro
Legend of the sneaker industry; signed Michael Jordan
Nike/Adidas/Reebok (varied over time)
Episode: The Chosen One (feat. Sonny Vaccaro)

Host

Dan Le Batard
Host of The Step Back / Le Batard & Friends, with longstanding involvement in ESPN projects; central figure in framing conversations around sports media and athlete empowerment.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 38 ratings
  • What a bastard

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ctr1881
    a month ago
  • Crap

    Podcast Addict
    1
    J Mac
    2 months ago

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Talking Points

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Lebron Inc. (feat. Pablo Torre)
Q: Tell us how you got this assignment, how you got LeBron's team to let you into that Vegas hotel room and paint the picture of that hotel room.
Pablo Torre explains gaining access to LeBron's circle during a high-profile Vegas moment, describing the exclusive environment, the people present (including Maverick Carter and Rich Paul), and the approach to painting a vivid room-and-power dynamic that framed LeBron's off-court leverage.

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Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Step Back

What is The Step Back about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show examines the moments that redefined how athletes, media, and power intersect, with a focus on LeBron James as a lens into broader dynamics in sports culture. Across episodes, conversations thread through athlete activism, branding, endorsements, and shifts in media coverage—from early breakout moments to high-profile decisions and public discourse around athlete voice. A rotating slate of guests—journalists, insiders, and industry figures—offers behind-the-scenes context and candid analysis, creating a nuanced time capsule of how fame, business, and culture shape one of sports' defining eras. The format tends to blend storytelling with sharp media critique, delivering insights on how public perception evolves when athletes become ... more

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How many listeners does The Step Back get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Step Back have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Step Back has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Step Back?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Step Back:

1. The Greg Cote Show with Greg Cote
2. Le Batard & Friends - Mystery Crate
3. Stugotz and Company
4. The Dan Le Batard Show
5. Basketball Illuminati

How many episodes of The Step Back are there?

The Step Back launched 2 months ago and published 5 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Step Back?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Step Back?

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What guests have appeared on The Step Back?

Recent guests on The Step Back include:

1. Jemele Hill
2. Cari Champion
3. Pablo Torre
4. Iman Shumpert
5. Jim Gray
6. Sonny Vaccaro

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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